67 Hail Hail

For those Celtic fans who tune into talkSPORT, sometimes you hear or listen to a lot of nonsense being spouted.

Not many people have a louder mouth than Jason Cundy, as he appears alongside Jamie O’Hara in his regular evening time slot.

In recent weeks, Celtic fans would have seen the unfortunate sacking of Ange Postecoglou from Tottenham Hotspur.

Despite Postecoglou winning the Europa League, Spurs’ first major trophy in 17 years, and first European honour since 1984, the powers that be at Hotspur Way saw it fit to sack the Celtic hero – the London club finished 17th during the recently concluded Premier League campaign.

Since then, there have been some interesting reactions to Postecoglou being booted out, but in some cases, it has come along with the utter disrespect and disregard of Scotland’s most successful club.

Celtic hero Ange Postecoglou questioned at the ‘top level’ after Tottenham sacking

There aren’t many clubs across the world where the pressure is greater than at Celtic, because you might as well finish bottom than second.

That pressure isn’t easy to deal with, yet Cundy saw it fit to suggest on talkSPORT that Postecoglou is a ‘stupid’ and ‘gullible’ coach who ‘isn’t built for top-level management’, despite proving himself in Glasgow.

Even after winning the Europa League in Bilbao, Cundy dismissed it all as pure ‘luck’ to the dismay of his fellow pundit, O’Hara.

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“No, he’s not,” stated Cundy on Postecoglou not being a good manager. “Thomas Frank (Spurs’ new coach) is not naive. He’s not gullible, and he’s not as stupid (as Postecoglou).

“Another thing that Ange has to look back at himself on is the way he dealt with the media. He’s prickly. Moany. Grumpy. He was terrible in front of the media. Terrible. It was a ridiculous tenure.

“I am going to come onto that (Tottenham still won a trophy). You can win a trophy by playing like that. You can. You aren’t going to do anything in the league. You are going to win a trophy, because you might get lucky one day. Spurs got lucky to win that trophy. They aren’t the second-best side in Europe; that’s what it’s supposed to be.

“Ange isn’t built for top-level management. He’s not. He’s not built.”

O’Hara responded: “Why do you mean ‘top-level management’? He has won the Europa League?! Oh, come on! You can’t say, ‘he’s not built for top-level management.'”

Cundy added: “Roberto Di Matteo won the Champions League. What are you going to tell me now? I am talking top level. Elite. Every single game. Season in, and season out.”

Postecoglou’s record at Celtic

From Australia to England’s capital, Postecoglou hasn’t managed a team with greater expectations than at Celtic.

There is no doubt that the huge amounts of money in England make it a bigger platform, but time and time again, the Treble-winner at Celtic has proven his worth.

And remember, he told the whole world before Christmas, when Spurs were struggling, ‘I always win a trophy in my second season’, and he delivered on one of the coldest quotes in football history.

Ange Postecoglou is a free agent after his Tottenham Hotspur sacking.

The Aussie-Greek manager was brutally dismissed by the Spurs hierarchy last week after the club’s worst ever Premier League finish.

However, Ange won the Europa League final for the club having beaten Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao to secure the UEFA trophy.

It was Tottenham’s first piece of major silverware since 2008, but that wasn’t enough for chairman Daniel Levy and company.

So what next for Celtic’s Treble-winning manager Postecoglou? Well, could he be on his way to the Saudi Pro League?

Al-Ahli have shortlisted ex-Celtic boss Postecoglou

The Telegraph are sensationally reporting that Postecoglou is being targeted by Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ahli.

But they will only pursue the 59-year-old if Al-Ahli’s current highly-rated manager Matthias Jaissle leaves to return to Europe.

Al-Ahli are the current Asian Champions League holders and boast high-profile stars such as Ivan Toney, Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez and Edouard Mendy.

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The report adds that Postecoglou will be a man in demand this summer with several offers set to be tabled for the ex-Celtic gaffer.

Ange has managed in Asia before, of course, with Yokohama F. Marinos where he guided them to the J. League title before a switch to Paradise in 2021.

Postecoglou’s record at Celtic and Tottenham

Postecoglou was dominant as Celtic manager as he won five out of the six major trophies he competed for between 2021 and 2023.

He won the Treble in 2022/23 and that led him to Tottenham and the Premier League. He finished 5th with Spurs in his first season and thus qualified for the Europa League.

However, his second campaign in North London was rather strange. Despite winning the Europa League, Spurs finished 17th in England’s top-flight as they lost a mammoth 22 games.

Thomas Frank has been appointed Ange’s successor at Tottenham having left Brentford.

Ange Postecoglou was a tremendous success at Celtic.

The former Tottenham boss won five out of six trophies during his time at Celtic and as the fans celebrated, Postecoglou was making his way to Spurs.

But now that Postecoglou’s time at Tottenham is over, it appears that the former Celtic boss’ Premier League return could be close.

However, former Hoops defender Ramon Vega believes that the Aussie has some unfinished business to attend to at Celtic as Postecoglou’s next career move looms.

Ramon Vega believes Ange Postecoglou would bring ‘massive added value’ to Celtic

Postecoglou wiped the floor with Scottish football during his time at Celtic but Vega reckons there is still some work in Europe the Australian would like to finish off.

When asked if he thinks Postecoglou has unfinished business in management, Vega told the Daily Record, “With Celtic, yes. But don’t forget, Celtic is a different ball game from Spurs.

“He went into the Champions League – that’s a completely different tournament. But at the same time, he’s put down a marker now.

“He did a good job for Celtic, and he’s done a really remarkable job winning a trophy with Spurs. If he goes back, he’ll return with serious Premier League experience. That would bring massive added value to Celtic in Europe.

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“Celtic and Champions League nights – they’re among the best in the world. Just Celtic is Celtic.”

Ange Postecoglou’s results with Celtic in Europe

Postecoglou struggled in Europe with Celtic due to a variety of factors. At the beginning of his tenure, much like at Spurs, injury curtailed his progress at Parkhead.

However, Postecoglou’s gung-ho attacking style also caused Celtic problems as the step up in class of player punished the Parkhead club.

Here is how Ange fared in Europe with Celtic:

All fixtures include qualifying rounds but even so, Postecoglou’s record does not make great reading. Fortunately for Celtic, Rodgers has helped restore the club’s reputation on the competition and the fans will be hoping he continues that this season in the Champions League.

Celtic hero Ange Postecoglou’s future could be about to take another twist this week.

Less than a week on from Postecoglou’s dismissal at Spurs, Celtic fans could see the Australian back in the dugout for the start of next season.

Postecoglou’s heroics in Europe appear to have kept the former Celtic manager in the frame for a top job in England.

And it appears another Premier League club could be looking to keep the ex-Celtic man in England’s top flight sooner rather than later.

Mystery Premier League club want former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou

A report in the Daily Mail has said that Postecoglou is already a ‘target’ for another Premier League club less than four days after Spurs sacked the Celtic icon.

The Australian manager’s stock is still high despite Tottenham languishing in 17th place in the league as the Europa League win has clearly impressed a club in England’s top tier.

Quite who that club is is anyone’s guess but should Thomas Frank be named manager of Spurs, the managerial merry-go round that will undoubtedly ensue should give clues as to where Postecoglou could land next.

If it is in the Premier League, then that will set up a couple of blockbuster fixtures if the former Celtic boss manages against his old club in England.

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Possible destinations for Ange Postecoglou in the Premier League

Would Brentford look at Postecoglou as a replacement for Thomas Frank? What a move that would be.

Leicester City, although are relegated, are technically still classed as a Premier League club until the new season begins. As are Ipswich and Southampton.

Or could one of the promoted clubs from the Championship be interested in the former Celtic man?

Other than that, it’s hard to see which other clubs would be keen on Postecoglou unless the chain reaction of Thomas Frank joining Spurs creates surprise openings amongst the clubs in the top-tier.

It’s certainly one for Celtic fans to watch out for this summer.

Celtic will be doing everything they can to keep hold of Daizen Maeda this summer.

The Japan star, whose nation has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, is having a well-earned rest and isn’t currently on international duty following the conclusion of the 2024/25 season.

Maeda scored 33 goals for Celtic this term, as Brendan Rodgers secured the domestic double, after narrowly missing out on the Treble after losing to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final on penalties.

One of the main reasons why Celtic were so successful, as well as making improvements in the Champions League, was because of the rip-roaring form of their all-action forward.

The 27-year-old has caught the attention of many across Europe, including transfer interest from Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce and Tottenham Hotspur, who recently sacked Ange Postecoglou.

How Celtic started transfer negotiations for Daizen Maeda, with Fenerbahce and Tottenham keen

Previously, Celtic fans weren’t happy when around ‘£10 million’ was quoted by the Turkish media for Maeda’s talents. That was never going to happen.

But now, Turkish outlet Sozcu have claimed that the champions of Scotland have started transfer negotiations at ‘£25 million’ for their PFA Player of the Year.

It has also been reported that things have been made to be ‘more difficult’ for Fenerbahce because Tottenham are also keen on the player.

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The good news for the Celtic Park faithful is that the club are putting a big price tag over their player’s head, but the bad news is the interest from Spurs, who have the money to spend after securing Champions League football, and how Mourinho’s side will play ‘all their cards’ to sign Maeda.

Breakdown of Maeda’s numbers for Celtic

When Kyogo Furuhashi left Celtic in January, the club needed somebody to fill the striker void, and it wasn’t a new signing that came in, or Adam Idah, who did that, but Maeda.

The versatile forward played centrally and went goal crazy, including scoring against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

There’s been plenty of pundit reaction to the news regarding Ange Postecoglou.

Postecoglou was sacked by Tottenham Hotspur on Friday evening as the Celtic hero was dismissed after exactly two years in North London.

Big Ange won the Europa League final against Manchester United in May, but that wasn’t enough to persuade Daniel Levy and the board to keep him.

Chris Sutton and John Hartson were baffled by Spurs’ call to ditch Postecoglou, while Son Heung-min posted a classy farewell statement.

Now, former Celtic and Ireland midfielder Roy Keane has delivered his view.

Keane reacts to Tottenham sacking Postecoglou

Keane was speaking live on ITV Sport as he covered England’s 2026 World Cup qualifying encounter against Andorra on Saturday.

Asked for his take on Postecoglou’s exit from Spurs, who Keane supported as a boy, he replied: “Winning a trophy for the club was a great day for the club and obviously the big plus was getting back in the Champions League.

“But they’ve felt the league form, not just this season but at the end of last season wasn’t good enough.

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“It’s always sad to see a manager losing his job but you’d like to think Ange will be fixed up pretty quickly because he won a trophy.

“The league form hasn’t been good enough but you’d think the trophy would have given him an opportunity to stay a bit longer.”

Postecoglou’s record at Celtic and Tottenham

Ange built a dominant Celtic side during his two years at Parkhead as he won five major trophies which included a domestic Treble.

That was enough for him to earn the Spurs gig, before going on to lead them to a 5th placed finish in his first Premier League season.

Spurs thus qualified for the Europa League and went on to win the tournament for the first time since the early 1980s.

It was Tottenham’s first trophy since 2008, yet they have decided to part ways with Ange due to the club’s worst ever Premier League campaign last season.

Celtic are in a tough spot when it comes to nurturing youngsters through their academy ranks.

More often than not these days, the Hoops are helpless in their efforts to deliver a clear pathway from the lower age groups to the first-team squad.

That’s because the lure of the big Premier League clubs down south for these youngsters proves to be too attractive. As the saying goes, money talks.

Daniel Cummings was the latest Celtic kid to move to England as he made a £300k switch to West Ham United after impressing for Celtic B in the Lowland League and UEFA Youth League.

And now, the Bhoys are about to lose another young talent to a Premier League club’s academy.

Celtic’s Conall Glancy close to Tottenham transfer

It is being reported by former 67 Hail Hail writer and now freelance journalist Mark Hendry that Celtic kid Conall Glancy is set for a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.

Via his Substack, Hendry states that a number of English clubs are after Glancy’s signature, but that Spurs are currently at the front of the queue to secure the player.

Very little is known publicly about Glancy, but it is clear Tottenham have been tracking the kid as he developed through the age groups at Lennoxtown.

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Glancy is now 16 and it’s within the age range of the late teens when Premier League sides usually come knocking on the door to pinch young Scottish talent for very little financially.

Glancy joins long list of young Celtic departures

As mentioned, Cummings is the most recent example of Premier League clubs pinching Celtic’s promising youngsters for pennies.

Ben Doak moved to Liverpool in 2022 from the Hoops for a small compensation fee, which hurts even more now given the potential he has in the game.

We’ve also seen Rocco Vata and Daniel Kelly move down to Watford and Millwall respectively, although both players were not keen to sign new contracts.

However, Vata and Kelly were handed limited first-team opportunities when they felt they should have been given more minutes by the likes of Ange Postecoglou and now Brendan Rodgers.

So while Celtic are blameless for deals such as the Glancy one, the club can do more to blood youth into the first-team earlier and give them a taste of what it’s like to represent the Hoops at Parkhead.

Ange Postecoglou has released a statement via his agency after being sacked by Tottenham Hotspur.

The Celtic hero was dismissed by the North London club’s board after exactly two years at the helm, despite winning the Europa League in May.

Ange left Parkhead for Spurs having won five major trophies in Scotland, and enjoyed a successful first season as Tottenham boss.

They finished 5th in the Premier League and qualified for the Europa League league phase, which ultimately led them to lifting the trophy.

But Ange was responsible for Tottenham’s worst ever Premier League campaign as they finished just above the relegation zone last season with 22 losses from 38 games.

Postecoglou’s statement after Tottenham exit confirmed

Now, after Tottenham’s official confirmation regarding Ange’s sacking, the man himself has released a statement via his agents CAA Base.

It reads as follows: “When I reflect on my time as Manager of Tottenham Hotspur my overriding emotion is one of pride.

“The opportunity to lead one of England’s historic football clubs and bring back the glory it deserves will live with me for a lifetime. Sharing that experience with all those who truly love this club and seeing the impact it had on them is something I will never forget.

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“That night in Bilbao was the culmination of two years of hard work, dedication and unwavering belief in a dream. There were many challenges to overcome and plenty of noise that comes with trying to accomplish what many said was not possible.

“We have also laid foundations that mean this club should not have to wait 17 more years for their next success. I have enormous faith in this group of players and know there is much more potential and growth in them.

“I sincerely want to thank those who are the lifeblood of the club, the supporters. I know there were some difficult times but I always felt that they wanted me to succeed and that gave me all the motivation I needed to push on. It’s important to acknowledge the hard working people at Spurs who gave me encouragement on a daily basis.

“And finally, I want to thank those who were with me every day for the last two years. A fantastic group of young men who are now legends of this football club and the brilliant coaches who never once doubted we could do something special.

“We are forever connected. Audere est Facere.”

Sutton and Hartson react to Postecoglou sacking

It didn’t take long before former Celtic strikers Chris Sutton and John Hartson took to social media platform X to share their reactions.

Sutton wrote: “Spurs wanted a manager who could win them a major trophy… they get one and then sack him…”

Hartson also chimed in but posted an X-rated response to the former Celtic manager’s exit from the North London outfit.

He said: “That’s Spurs back to winning f*** all .. my word.”

Tottenham will now begin the process of hiring a new manager, with Brentford boss Thomas Frank emerging already as the frontrunner.

Tottenham Hotspur have made a decision over Ange Postecoglou’s future at the club.

Postecoglou was under severe pressure last season as results in the Premier League dwindled after a successful first campaign in charge.

Spurs ended up finishing 17th in England’s top-flight as they lost 22 games out of a possible 38, their worst ever term in the Premier League.

However, former Celtic boss Ange enjoyed success in the Europa League as Tottenham won the competition after beating Manchester United in the final.

But that hasn’t persuaded ruthless chairman Daniel Levy to keep Ange as manager.

Tottenham sack Celtic hero Ange Postecoglou

According to multiple reliable sources including Sky Sports, BBC Sport and Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham have decided to sack Postecoglou.

It comes exactly two years to the day when he was announced as Tottenham’s new manager after leaving Celtic for North London.

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Postecoglou won five major trophies in two seasons at Celtic, which culminated in securing a world record eighth domestic Treble in the Scottish Cup final.

In his first season at Spurs, Ange led the club to 5th in the Premier League and qualification for the Europa League league phase.

His second domestic season, however, was an extremely poor one as Tottenham ended up in 17th, but he promised at the beginning of the campaign that he would win a trophy.

That promise was kept when Brennan Johnson’s goal sealed Europa League glory for Spurs, their first win in the competition since the 1980s.

Tottenham’s full statement confirming Postecoglou exit

After several journalists and news outlets broke the news Ange was to be sacked, Spurs issued official confirmation on their website.

Their statement reads as follows: “Following a review of performances and after significant reflection, the Club can announce that Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties.

“Ange joined us from Celtic in the summer of 2023 and oversaw a period of change on the pitch, returning us to the attacking brand of football that has traditionally been associated with the Club, while writing a new chapter in our history by leading us to UEFA Europa League glory in Bilbao last month – an achievement that will live with us all forever.

“We are extremely grateful to Ange for his commitment and contribution during his two years at the Club. Ange will always be remembered as only the third manager in our history to deliver a European trophy, alongside legendary figures Bill Nicholson and Keith Burkinshaw.

“However, the Board has unanimously concluded that it is in the best interests of the Club for a change to take place. Following a positive start in the 2023/24 Premier League (PL) season, we recorded 78 points from the last 66 PL games. This culminated in our worst-ever PL finish last season. At times there were extenuating circumstances – injuries and then a decision to prioritise our European campaign. Whilst winning the Europa League this season ranks as one of the Club’s greatest moments, we cannot base our decision on emotions aligned to this triumph.

“It is crucial that we are able to compete on multiple fronts and believe a change of approach will give us the strongest chance for the coming season and beyond. This has been one of the toughest decisions we have had to make and is not a decision that we have taken lightly, nor one we have rushed to conclude. We have made what we believe is the right decision to give us the best chance of success going forward, not the easy decision.

“We have a talented, young squad and Ange has given us a great platform to build upon. We should like to express our gratitude to him. We wish him well for the future – he will always be welcome back at our home.

“News on the appointment of a new Head Coach will be announced in due course.”

The transfer window officially opened on Sunday with Celtic now able to sign and register new players for the 2025/26 season and beyond.

The Hoops are in a strong financial position to spend on the targets Brendan Rodgers needs to mount another domestic Treble push after missing out in May.

Strikers such as David Strelec and Youssef El Kachati have been heavily linked, as well as wingers Oskar Fallenius and Tyrhys Dolan.

Two of those will require transfer fees, while the other half can be snapped up on free deals, as can a number of Premier League stars whose contracts are expiring.

Of course, many of the players leaving England’s top-flight this month command hefty wage packets, so they will be out of Celtic’s reach.

But there are some realistic deals to be struck, as 67 Hail Hail look at five below.

Jamie Vardy

Vardy has already been linked with Celtic, as well as arch-rivals Rangers. But it would make sense for the Leicester City legend to reunite with his old boss again.

Rodgers would be the key to convincing Vardy for a year in the Scottish Premiership as the 38-year-old’s incredible career begins to wind down.

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Vardy is still fit and firing despite his age, but Celtic may not be fond on delivering a huge pay packet for a striker who is very near retirement.

However, perhaps money means less to Vardy at the moment and the thrill of pulling on the green and white hoops for one of the biggest clubs in world could persuade him to take a wage cut.

Danny Ings

Unlike Vardy, Ings isn’t in the final years of his career and is someone who knows his way around the penalty box as evidenced by his impressive goal-scoring record.

West Ham United have just released Ings as the 32-year-old spent the last two years with the London Stadium outfit.

Ings scored just five goals in 69 games, but that shouldn’t put Celtic off a cheap deal for an experienced campaigner who used to play for Liverpool.

Even though Celtic are a bigger club than West Ham, the Premiership is a significant step down in quality – but that dynamic could suit Ings.

Carlos Vinicius

Carlos Vinicius hasn’t been getting the game time at Fulham that he signed for and the striker will leave the London outfit this summer.

The Brazilian striker spent the latter half of the season on loan at Galatasaray, but only scored two goals in 14 appearances.

However, he’s a talented player and still has plenty to offer aged just 30. Vinicius made a name for himself with Benfica during the 2019/20 campaign.

He scored 24 goals that season before loan spells at Tottenham Hotspur and PSV Eindhoven. Vinicius hasn’t been prolific for Fulham since joining in 2022, but has proven he can score at a good level.

Could Celtic offer him a new direction with newfound admiration and success?

Michael Keane

Former England international Keane has spent the last eight years at Everton, but his time there is likely to come to an end.

Celtic have cover at centre-back, so it’s not a priority position. But there’s a strong chance both Stephen Welsh and Maik Nawrocki leave Parkhead this summer.

Keane is only 32 and could be a great experienced option. The only hindrance could be that he is primarily a right-sided defender and of course, Cameron Carter-Vickers firmly has the position nailed down.

Tom Cairney

Put simply, Tom Cairney is a Celtic fan and for that reason alone, this may not be a difficult deal to negotiate.

A central midfielder, Cairney was born in England but his Scottish dad, hailing from Uddingston, used to take him to Celtic games when he was a kid.

Cairney is a Fulham legend having spent the last decade at the club. But the two-time capped Scotland international will depart at the age of 34.

Celtic are well equipped in this area of the pitch, but Cairney could be a cheap replacement for the Udinese-linked Reo Hatate if the Japanese star is sold.